1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a plastic clip, for example, a clip used on clothes such as suspender clips or a clip attached on the leading end of a waist cloth for closing a Kimono, or clothes pin.
2. Descriptions of the Prior Art
The present inventor has already obtained the following two U.S. patents based on the similar conceptions:
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,483, and PA1 (2) U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,497 PA1 providing a recessed auxiliary plate prepared in the upper clipping member; PA1 providing a fitting window prepared in the lower clipping member; PA1 inserting the upper clipping member into the fitting window; PA1 providing a horizontal bar portion to be placed on a support shelf; PA1 providing an axis receiver in the operation member; PA1 providing an axis support formed in a side wall of the lower clipping member; PA1 fitting the axis receiver into the axis support; and PA1 wherein when the receiver is forcibly pressed downward, both the ends of the lower and upper clipping members are pinched together by the elastic power of a plastic material for a closed position while when the rear area of the operation member is moved upward and a contacting surface of a projection is pressed forcibly toward the rear at a bottom end of a first actuation cam, an open position is caused between the lower and upper clipping members thereof by the force of a fulcrum function of the horizontal bar portion. PA1 the lower clipping member (1) on which an upper clipping member (21) is placed, and an operation member (41) which is assembled with the upper clipping member (1), wherein both end portions of the lower clipping member (1) and the upper clipping member (21) are opened or closed by movement of the operation member (41); PA1 a pair of side walls (4) facing each other on a rear area of the lower clipping member (1); PA1 a rear wall (5) having a support shelf (6) established in a rear wall of a rear area; PA1 a fitting portion formed on inner surfaces of the side walls (4) and in front of the support shelf (6), wherein the operation member (41) may move up and down in the fitting portion; PA1 a recessed auxiliary plate (23) established on a rear area of the upper clipping member (21); PA1 a rear wall of the recessed auxiliary plate (23) formed in a horizontal bar shape portion (27) placed on the support shelf (6); PA1 a plane surface portion (7) formed on a front part of the horizontal bar shape portion (27); PA1 a receiver portion axis receiver (46) for accepting a fitting portion formed in front and upper portion of the operation member; PA1 the receiver portion (46) assembled with the fitting portion; PA1 wherein the lower clipping member (1) and the operation member (41) are aligned into a same direction; PA1 a first actuation cam (47) formed in an extending shape, which is adapted to press the plane surface portion rearward behind a rotation center for the operation member (41); PA1 a second actuation cam (48) formed in an extending downward shape, which is adapted to press an upper surface of the recessed auxiliary plate (23) downward in a lower portion than the rotation center; PA1 a force which maintains a closing condition in the front area of the rotation center from the lower portion, when the second actuation cam (48) is positioned into just below the rotation center, where the cam (48) presses upper faces of the recessed auxiliary plate (23) downward so that both tops of the lower clipping member (1) and the upper clipping member (21) are closed; and PA1 another force which maintains an opening condition between each top of the lower clipping member (1) and the upper clipping member (21) by a counter force produced by the horizontal bar shape portion (27) while the first actuation cam (47) presses the plane surface of the horizontal bar shape portion (27) backward, when the second cam (48) is positioned to stay in a rear area of the lower portion and the first cam (47) is positioned to stay in upper area between the rotation center and the horizontal bar shape portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,483 discloses a plastic clip, wherein metallic pins or metallic springs are not adopted. Instead of pins and springs, an elastic plastic material is utilized. As shown in FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B as Prior Art, this clip is opened or closed when top ends of a lower clipper member (61) and an upper clipper member (62) are operated by an operation member (63). A support shelf (64) is formed at a rear portion of the lower clipper member (61), while a hinge (65) is also formed at a rear portion of the upper clipper member (62). A cam plate (66) is provided on the operation member (63), whereas, when both rear portions of the lower clipping member (61) and the upper clipper member (62) are combined together crossing like the letter X, and the cam (66) is pinched between the crossing portion and the rear portion. Thus, the hinge (65) is adapted to engage onto the supporting shelf (64) at a fixed pressure force, so that the top ends of the lower clipping member (61) and the upper clipping member (62) may be opened by elastic force of plastic material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,497 discloses another plastic clip, wherein the minimum thickness of the clip is attained and at the same time the pressure submission toward each locking material is ensured. As shown in FIG. 19A and FIG. 19B as another example of Prior Art, an upper clipping member (71) comprises a mouth (67) prepared on an upper surface of rear portion, a side wall (68) formed on bottom surface of a rear portion, a spindle plate (69) established in the forward portion of the side wall (68), and a recess bearing (70) prepared on the inside surface of the side wall (68). A lower clipping member (76) comprises a ditch-like bearing (72) on bottom surface of a rear portion, a narrow projection (74) having protuberance (73) on both sides of the rear portion formed, and an elastic tongue (75) extending upward formed on the central portion. An operation member (83) comprises an actuation expansion (79) formed on outer surface of an outer side wall (77) of a box (78) having the outer side wall (77). This actuation expansion (79) is adapted to fit between the side wall (77) and the projection (74), an engaging dent (80) into which the protuberance (73) fits and a pressure plate (81) provides a small at position to the rear of the centre of the actuation expansion (79), and a slit-like belt insertion (82) is prepared at the end portion.
The plastic clip developed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,483 has a defect in that the shape of the operation member (63) is easily worn and is not durable.
The plastic clip developed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,497 has improved durability and locking power, but it is still necessary to offer a better quality and long-lasting clip for the market. Also, the exterior of the clip is unattractive due to the combination between the upper clipping member, the lower clipping member and the operation member.